Vertical axis wind or water turbine

ABSTRACT

A mechanical device consisting of two horizontal shafts ( 4 &amp; 5 ) in cruciform each rotating axially within two sets of bearings ( 6 ), each set positioned near either end and interfaced upon a rotor base ( 10 ) which itself is fixed to a vertical power shaft  11  centrally. The powershaft rotates within two other sets of bearings ( 12 ). The horizontal shafts are each bolted to and pair of aerofoil section wings ( 2 &amp; 3 ) through their respective flange plates ( 7 ), each wing being regulated axially by a cam ( 8 ) in  90  degree relationship. At any given moment, one wing will always resist ( 2   b  &amp;  3   b ) the external power source ( 1 ) of wind or water current thereby bringing about rotation of the powershaft, whilst the opposite wings ( 2   a  &amp;  3   a ) will transiently adopt a free flow posture.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a national stage of International Application No. PCT/GB2004/000484, filed Feb. 6, 2004, which claims the benefit of Great Britain Application No. GB 0402563.1, filed Feb. 5, 2004, and Great Britain Application No. GB 0303580.5, filed Feb. 15, 2003.

FIELD

This invention relates to a wing engine of the wind machine type, though here equally suited to activation by the flow of water as much as the movement of air.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

Wind machine principles are well known; however, such devices can be subject to the disadvantage of their vanes needing to be constantly redirected, through accurate adjustment, onto the ever varying sources of impetus. Furthermore, they derive motive power by deflecting air currents off angled vanes, a process which does not achieve the greater power potential that full face resisting vanes would produce. Equally, a process which creates structural stress, such that these machines must be shut down, using elaborate pitch-control mechanisms, thus rendering themselves incapable of utilizing winds in excess of 70 kilometers per hour. Moreover, elevated structures are a necessity to ensure ground clearance for such vertically sited, rotational devices.

An object of this invention is to provide a wing engine which optimizes the raw energy of received motive power (wind or water—from whatever origin path, without need of directional adjustment) as a result of the paired vanes (wings) being constantly, on an alternating basis, postured in full face resistance to that motive power. Also to convert all motive power, irrespective of its velocity, into powershaft torque rather than structural stress.

Also, this wing engine (unlike a conventional wind machine) operates on the horizontal plane: for this reason, ground clearance towers are unnecessary.

Accordingly, this invention provides a wing engine comprising of two pairs of aerofoils (wings) which are attached by flange plates onto two horizontal shafts, each wing being diametrically apart and set 90°/270° axially to the other. Both horizontal shafts are bearing mounted and secured in cruciform onto a centrally sited rotor base, they are free to pivot through a 90° arc, governed by a cam. Each vane is also supported by suspension stays to the apex of a central suspension tower, itself fixed at its lower end to the rotor base. A vertical axis powershaft proceeds from the rotor base.

The wing engine can be made from a range of metals and plastics or other suitable materials, with particular consideration being afforded the potential for component corrosion or degradation under differing applications and/or deployments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows in isometric projection the rotor base assembly, comprising the two horizontal shafts and flange plates, bearings, cams and end stops.

FIG. 2 shows the suspension tower.

FIG. 3 illustrates the assembled wing engine, the suspension tower bolted to the rotor base, the wings bolted by their flange plates to the flange plates of the horizontal shafts, and the suspension stays connected from the wings to the apex of the suspension tower.

Referring to the drawings, the arrival 1 of motive power (wind or water) compels by that powers influence on the wings 2 and 3, as it increases on onea and reduces on the otherb—each wing in its turn to readily adopt a full counter-facing posture to the flow1 (as shown here by 2 b and 3 b) as the horizontal shafts 4 and 5 are forced into propeller-like revolution.

This is practicable because the bearing 6 mounted horizontal shafts 4 and 5 and fixed flange plates 7 are free to pivot within its 90° axial span, as governed by the cams 8 being arrested on the fixed end stops 9, thereby achieving prescribed posture adoptions as each wing 2 a; 2 b; 3 a; 3 b comes into play.

With the horizontal shafts 4 and 5 being centrally mounted atop a rotor base 10 in cruciform and one slightly above the other, then such causation results in the powershaft 11 being turned through its supportive bearings 12 a and 12 b.

The centrally located suspension tower 13 provides support to each wing 2 and 3 by connected steel stays 14 positioned on their pivotal axis.

The invention, linked through the power shaft 11 may provide the drive for powering the likes of a compressor (air), pump (water) or generator (electricity) or any similar device. Exampled in FIG. 3 is a base 15 (here shown as a conical shape at random) which could represent anything from a boat to a building, depending on the requirement of this wing engine as a power source. 

1-3. (canceled)
 4. A wing engine comprising two pairs of vanes, each pair of vanes being attached to a respective horizontal shaft, each pair of vanes being diametrically opposed on the respective shaft, each horizontal shaft being mounted on a central base which is operative to rotate about a vertical axis, each horizontal shaft being mounted on the base such that each horizontal shaft can pivot through 90° about the respective shaft axis, the pivotal movement of each shaft being governed by a cam such that, in use, one vane of each pair of vanes is at 90° to the other vane in that pair of vanes.
 5. The wing engine of claim 4 wherein each vane is supported by suspension stays extending to the apex of a central suspension tower, itself fixed at its lower end to the base.
 6. The wing engine of claim 4 wherein a vertical axis powershaft extends from the base.
 7. The wing engine of claim 4 wherein the vanes are attached to the shafts by flange plates.
 8. The wing engine of claim 4 wherein, in use, the horizontal shafts are forced into propeller-like revolution, such that one vane of each pair adopts a counter-facing posture to the flow of fluid.
 9. The wing engine of claim 4 wherein the movement of the cam is limited by fixed end stops.
 10. The wing engine of claim 4 wherein the horizontal shafts are mounted atop the base in cruciform.
 11. The wing engine of claim 10 wherein one horizontal shaft is mounted above the other.
 12. The wing engine of claim 6 further comprising at least one of a compressor, pump or generator, powered by rotation of the powershaft. 